147 ratings | 16 reviews | avg rating:3.50

more photos (6)

Ghalib’s Year In Books

Ghalib’s 2025 Year in Books

Take a look at Ghalib’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

Go to Ghalib’s 2025 Year in Books

Ghalib Shiraz Dhalla’s Followers (18)

Ghalib’s Bookshelves

to-read (20)
currently-reading (4)
read (168)
hiatus (0)
my-books (5)
reading-again (0)

Ghalib’s Friends (200)

Eric

2,155 books | 195 friends

Lynsi

483 books | 108 friends

Naori

3,515 books | 740 friends

Grady

7,918 books | 821 friends

Arun

3,360 books | 225 friends

Michael

1,808 books | 293 friends

Juliann Rosa

225 books | 58 friends

Samanthi Jinadasa

458 books | 91 friends

More friends…

Ghalib Shiraz Dhalla

Goodreads Author

Born

Mombasa, Kenya

Website

http://www.ghalibdhalla.com

Twitter

GShiraz

Genre

Fiction, Memoir, Romance

Influences

Andrew Holleran, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Rumi, Anais Nin. ...more

Member Since

September 2011

edit data

Los Angeles-based writer Ghalib Shiraz Dhalla was born in Kenya, where, at 13 years old, he published his first article in the national magazine VIVA.

His critically-acclaimed debut novel, "Ode to Lata", was hailed by the LA Times as "an accomplishment" and The Library Journal as "brilliant." An excerpt premiered in the anthology, Contours of the Heart (Rutgers), and went on to win the 18th Annual American Book Award. The novel created milestones as the first South Asian gay novel ever to be reviewed by the LA Times Book Review and to be excerpted by LGBT landmark magazine, Genre. It was also the first account of the South Asian gay experience from an author from the African continent.

Dhalla went on to adapt, produce and co-direct the nove Los Angeles-based writer Ghalib Shiraz Dhalla was born in Kenya, where, at 13 years old, he published his first article in the national magazine VIVA.

His critically-acclaimed debut novel, "Ode to Lata", was hailed by the LA Times as "an accomplishment" and The Library Journal as "brilliant." An excerpt premiered in the anthology, Contours of the Heart (Rutgers), and went on to win the 18th Annual American Book Award. The novel created milestones as the first South Asian gay novel ever to be reviewed by the LA Times Book Review and to be excerpted by LGBT landmark magazine, Genre. It was also the first account of the South Asian gay experience from an author from the African continent.

Dhalla went on to adapt, produce and co-direct the novel into the feature film, "The Ode" which premiered at the Outfest Film Festival (2008). It was called "a beautiful portrait of the American experience for many first and second-generation Indian-Americans" (CineQueer 7/18/08) and a film with performances that are "memorable" and filled with "cinematic intensity" (Planet Homo 7/19/08). The UCLA Asia Institute praised it as a film that inspired "after-film contemplation" and boasting performances that are "noteworthy" (Asia Pacific Arts 8/8/08).

A passionate activist, Dhalla co-founded the South Asian program for the Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Team (APAIT) which provides prevention, health and social services, community leadership and advocacy to over 10,000 individuals in Southern California. He is also one of the founding members of SATRANG, a support group for LGBT and questioning South Asians in Los Angeles.

In June 2007, Dhalla was listed as one of the Top 21 Tastemakers and "Most Important Movers and Shakers" in America (Genre Magazine). In August 2007, Dhalla was listed as one of the "Top 25 People Who Make Us Melt - Angelenos Who Redefine What's Hot" (Frontiers Magazine).

On August 29th, 2009 Dhalla was showcased at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York with the headlining event, "An Evening with Ghalib Shiraz Dhalla."

His follow-up novel, "The Two Krishnas" garnered raves from peers, Lisa See, Chitra Divakaruni and his inspiration, Andrew Holleran and was published as "The Exiles" in India where it went on to become a bestseller.

He is currently developing "Embrace", a feature film based on love stories impacted by actual terror events from around the world. His short, upon which the feature is based, premiered at New York's prestigious IAAC film festival and was praised by the Huffington Post as a film that "captures the raw intensity of two ordinary people...A fascinating glimpse of humanity in crisis. The film delivers a message of the defeat of evil and triumph over adversity."

You stay in touch with Ghalib on twitter (@gshiraz) and facebook (www.faceboo.com/ghalibshirazdhalla) ...more

Combine Editions
Ghalib Shiraz Dhalla’s books

Average rating: 3.71 · 163 ratings · 45 reviews · 6 distinct works

	The Two Krishnas: A Novel 3.74 avg rating — 108 ratings — published 2010 — 9 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Ode to Lata 3.64 avg rating — 55 ratings — published 2002 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Ode to Lata - Author's Edition 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2011	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Oda a Lata 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Two Krishnas [Paperback] [2011] (Author) Ghalib Shiraz Dhalla by Ghalib Shiraz Dhalla (Goodreads Author), Unknown Author 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Exiles 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Ghalib Shiraz Dhalla…

Ghalib is Currently Reading

Ghalib Dhalla is currently reading

Bel Canto

by Ann Patchett

bookshelves: currently-reading

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Jan 19, 2026 08:15PM

Ghalib Dhalla is currently reading

The Better Man

by Anita Nair

bookshelves: currently-reading

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Dec 14, 2023 11:12PM

Ghalib Dhalla is currently reading

The Islamic Jesus: How the King of the Jews Became a Prophet of the Muslims

by Mustafa Akyol

bookshelves: currently-reading

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Oct 31, 2023 01:36PM

rss
Ghalib’s Recent Updates

Ghalib Dhalla is currently reading Bel Canto by Ann Patchett	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 19, 2026 08:15PM · like
Ghalib Dhalla and 19 other people liked Neal Adolph's review of Memoirs of Hadrian: "I have little that I can say about this book, but only because I'm not sure what there is to say about it. I know that I am wading upriver, against the powerful waves of praise and criticism which this book has received, and I am not sure that I have" Read more of this review »
Jan 16, 2026 05:29PM · see review
Ghalib Dhalla rated a book liked it Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 16, 2026 05:29PM · like
Ghalib Dhalla rated a book liked it The Secret History of Dreaming by Robert Moss	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 24, 2025 08:15PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Secret History of Dreaming by Robert Moss. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Secret History of Dreaming by Robert Moss <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ghalib Dhalla rated a book really liked it The Silk Roads: A New History of the World by Peter Frankopan	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 24, 2025 10:58PM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ghalib Dhalla rated a book did not like it The Wings of the Dove by Henry James	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 31, 2025 09:47PM · like
Ghalib Dhalla rated a book liked it A Therapeutic Journey: Lessons from The School of Life by Alain de Botton (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 31, 2025 09:34PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of A Therapeutic Journey by Alain de Botton. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — A Therapeutic Journey by Alain de Botton <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ghalib Dhalla wants to read Henry and June by Anaïs Nin	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 14, 2025 10:26PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Henry and June by Anaïs Nin. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Henry and June by Anaïs Nin <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ghalib Dhalla rated a book it was amazing Sunset Boulevard by Billy Wilder	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 14, 2025 10:13PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Sunset Boulevard by Billy Wilder. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Sunset Boulevard by Billy Wilder <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Ghalib Dhalla rated a book liked it The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Some of it sublime, much of it a slog.
Apr 14, 2025 10:11PM · like · see review

More of Ghalib's books…

Quotes by Ghalib Shiraz Dhalla (?)

“The path to enlightenment, to find out who you truly are, has to be taken alone.”
― Ghalib Shiraz Dhalla, The Two Krishnas: A Novel

tags: hindu, inspirational, quotes-to-define-my-life

20 likes

“They say that life is about balance. That it trades one sorrow for one joy and so forth until it finds some kind of harmony. Well, I want none of it. I've never been as dead as I was when I was balanced. I don't want life to be contained. I want it unbound, inspired. Alive.”
― Ghalib Shiraz Dhalla, The Two Krishnas: A Novel

tags: inspirational-quotes, quotes-to-define-my-life

8 likes